Islanders Sign Former Viper Matt Watkins:

The New York Islanders have signed free agent and former Vernon Vipers forward Matt Watkins to a one-year, two way contract on Monday.  In 70 regular season games with the AHL Portland Pirates last season Watkins collected (11-25-36) and in one game with the NHL Pheonix Coyotes Watkins went pointless.  The Coyotes called up Watkins during this years Stanley cup playoffs but the former Viper never played a game while with the Coyotes before being sent back down to the American Hockey League.  Watkins was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 5th round #160th overall in 2005 but never played with the Stars, before signing an entry-level contract with the Coyotes in 2009 as a free agent.  Watkins played one season in Vernon (2004-05) collecting (36-38-74) in 60 regular season games with the Vipers.

Matt Watkins Player Profile:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=74941

This was posted in the Connecticutplus.com website:

Watkins agrees on two-way deal, Landry to one-year deal

By Sound Tigers

Published: Jul 3, 2012

BRIDGEPORT, CT - The New York Islanders announced Monday that Matt Watkins has agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract.

Watkins, 25, scored 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 70 games last season with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League. The Regina, SK, native also made his NHL debut last year, appearing in one game with the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Dallas Stars selected Watkins in the fifth round, 160th overall, of the 2005 NHL Draft. After completing a four-year collegiate career at the University of North Dakota, Watkins spent his first two professional seasons with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. In 185 career AHL games with San Antonio and Portland, the 5’10, 190-pound forward scored 38 goals and 55 assists.

The New York Islanders also announced Monday that defenseman Jon Landry has agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract for the upcoming 2012-13 season.

Landry, 29, earns the first NHL contract of his career after splitting time between the Colorado Eagles of the East Coast Hockey League and the New York Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, last season.

The Montreal, PQ native recorded 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 35 games with Colorado (ECHL) before joining the Sound Tigers midway through the 2011-12 campaign. Landry posted 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) and finished third in scoring among Sound Tigers defenseman despite appearing in just 34 games with the club.

Prior to last season, Landry played for Braehead Clan of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom where he totaled 58 points (18 goals, 40 assists) in 54 contests during the 2010-11 season. Landry also spent four seasons with the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League, notching 129 points (36 goals, 93 assists) in 203 games.

The 6’3”, 220-pound defenseman played collegiately at Bowdoin College from 2002-06 and scored 51 goals and 70 assists for 121 points in 98 games.